Automatic signal switch



May 31, 1932. w. E. WULFHORST AUTOMATIC SIGNAL SWITCH 5 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed May 23, 1928 INVENTOR. William Wulfhorsi- A TTORNE Y.

May 31, 1932. w. E. WULFHORST AUTOMATIC SIGNAL SWITCH Filed May 25, 1928LW'ENTOR A TTORN E Y.

y 1932- w. E. WULFHORST AUTOMATIC SIGNAL SWITCH Filed May 25, 1928 3Sheets-Sheet 3 I.\'I 'EXTOR. W ham Enwulfhorsf IQW 406% I V A TTURXE)Patented May 31,1932

PATENT OFFICE j I WILLIAM E. WUIJFHOBST, OFOIHGINNATI, OHIO .w'roiwrioSIGNAL swxrrcn Application filed Kay 28, 1928. Serial No. 280,018.

' My invention relates to signals, particularly, though not exclusively,adapted for use on street cars. I

The ob'ects of my invention are to provide means a apted toautomatically signal persons behind the street car that the car is redue-ing its speed or that the car is traveling forward without immediateprospects of stopping, or that the car is about to slacken its speed andstop.

My invention consists in providing means adapted to automaticallyconnect and dis connect electric circuits for the purpose ofilluminating signals intended to convey information regarding theimmediate movement of the street car upon which said signals aredisplayed.

My invention further consists in the construction, combination, locationand arrangement of parts, as herein set forth and claimed.

In the drawings:

F'g. 1 is a rear elevation of a street car partly broken away to show myinvention embodied therein;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the wiring diagram with that portion ofthe street car involved therewith;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on a plane corresponding to line3-3 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on a plane corresponding to line 4--4of Fig. 6;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on a plane corresponding to line 5-5of Fig. 6;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the casing embodying the means forautomatically making and breaking the electrical connection to thesignal lamp; and

Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken on the line 7--7 of Fig. 6.

In the embodiment of my inventions as illustrated and which shows apreferred construction I provide case or housin 1 suitably fixed toframe 2 of street car 3 y bolts 4. Said casing comprises governorcompartment 5 and communicating runway 6. Sliding block 7 (preferablymade of bakelite or other non-conductive material) is mounted forreciprocating movement upon track 8 formed integral with runway 6 andrunway cover 9. The cover 9 is suitably fixed to runway 6 by cap screws10 and to insure a watertight fit between said cover and runway Iprovide a gasket 11, as clearly shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, respectively.

The end of compartment 5 is closed by cover 12 and the top by lid 13.Said cover and lid are removably fixed to said compartment by cap screws14 and 15 and to insure a water-tight construction between said cover,lid and compartment, I provide gaskets 16 and 17, respectively, as shownin Sliding block 7, as before stated, is preferably made of bakelite andis cast or molded in rectangular form around T-shaped core 18, as shown.in Fig. 3. Elongated side 19 of said core 18 is flush with side 20 ofsliding block 7 and is in engagement with brush 21 of conductor 22 atall times. Side 23 of core 18 extends beyond side 24 of sliding block 7and is adapted to engage the spring actuated brushes 25, 26 and 27,respectively, one at a time, as will be more clearly described underoperation. The outer end 28 of block 7 is provided with an elongatedsocket 29, which receives coil spring 30, one end of which is attachedto block 7 by screw 31 and the other end of which is attached to stud32. The

tension of spring 30 may be varied by the positioning of nut 33 upon thethreaded portion of stud 32. Nut 34 acts as a lock nut for nut 33.. Theinner end 28a of block 7 is provided with a threaded socket 35, whichsocket receives threaded member 36, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. Saidmember 36 has a re duced neck 37 which has a forced fit within theopening of inner ball race 38. The outer ball race 39 is received bycylindrical cupshaped member 40 and is held therein by cap 41 fixed tosaid member by screws 42. Said cap 41 is provided with integralextensions 41a which serve as bearings for one end of bars 43. The otherendof said bars are piv otally connected to Weights 44-. Bars 45 arepivotally connected to said weights 44 at one end and to the bearings 46fixed upon shaft 47 at their other end. Shaft 47 is rotatably mounted inroller bearings 48 which bearing is mounted in cover 12, as shown inFig. 3.

Grooved pulley 49 is suitably fixed upon the illustrated in Figs. 1 and2, respectively,

grooved pulley 49 is connected by a belt 51 to an axle 52 of street car3, so as to rotate with said axle when said car is in motion. As all ofthe brushes 21, 25, 26 and 27, respectively, are mounted in identicalbrush holders the description of one will 'sufiice for all.

Each of the said brushes have their outer end rounded and are providedwith a shoulder or head 53, which limits the outward movement of saidbrush when it engages the shoulder 54 of barrel 55. Each barrel 55 isinsulated from casing 1 by washers 56 and sleeve 57,, as clearly shownin Fig. 3. The outer periphery of each barrel 55 is threaded andreceives nuts 58 and cap 59. Coil. spring 60 seats within cap 59 andbears against head '53 of said brushes which insures a perfect springactuated contact between the brushes 25, 26 and 27 and side 23 of core18 and brush 2 1 with elongated side 19 of said core. As shown in Fig.1, Iprovide three lamps 61, 62 and 63, respectively. One terminal oflamp 61 is connected to brush 27 by conductor 64 i and the otherterminal is connected by conductor 65 to trolley line 66 through trolley67. To reduce the usual current of approximately 600 volts in trolleyline 66 to 110 volts for lamps 61, 62 and 63, I provide resistance coil68 in said conductor 65. One terminal of lamp 62 is connected to brush26 by conductor 69 and the other terminal of said lamp is connected toconductor 65. One terminal of lamp 63 is connected to brush 25 byconductor 70 and the other terminal of said lamp is connected toconductor 65. Brush 21 is grounded by conductor 22, as before stated.Said lamps 61, 62 and 63 are preferably mounted within lamp housing 71,which housing is suitably mounted on the rear panel 72 of street car 3.

Lamp housing 71 is so constructed and arranged that green lens 73 ismounted in front of lamp 61, yellow lens 74 in front of lamp 62 and redlens 75 in front of lamp 63, respectively. As the lamps 61, 62 and 63burn at different times, I provide partitions 76 and 77 within said lamphousing 71 to insure against one lamp illuminating more than itsintended lens. Bars 43, weights 44 and bars 45 constitute a governor 78which 0 erates by the wellknown principle of centri gal force, therebexerting an outward pulling force on block when pulley 49 is rotated.

Operation.-The operation of my improved signal system is as follows:

When the street car 3. is at a standstill the tension of coil springs 30holds sliding block 7 in the outer end of runway 6, as shown in Fig. 3.When the block 7 is in this position the electric current from trolleywire 66 will flow through trolley 67, resistance coil 68,

through lam 63, conductor 70, brush 25, core 18, brus 21 and conductor22, thereby completing the 110-volt electrical circuit to lamp 63 andcause the red lens to be illuminated upon which a warning indicia may beprinted, as for example, the words Stop or Danger. It will be noticed,therefore, that lamp 63 burns whenever the car is not in motion ortraveling at a very low speed.

Let us suppose now that the ear starts to move forward, and as itsvelocity increases the governor 78 gradually opens, which, in turn,partially overcomes the tension of spring 30 and draws block 7 towardsbrush 26, and disconnects brush 25 from core 18, which breaks theelectrical circuit of lamp 63. As brush 26 engages core 18 the electriccircuit to lamp 62 is completed, thereby causing the amber or yellowlens 74 to be illuminated upon which lens a warning indicia may beprinted, as for example, the words Slow or Caution. As the velocity ofthe car increases, block 7 is caused to slide towards brush 27, due tothe centrifugal force of weights 44, and disconnect brush 26 from core18, thereby extinguishing lamp 62. As the car reaches a maximum speedforward the core 18 is brought into contact with brush 27, therebycompleting the 110-volt circuit to lamp 61 which, in turn, illuminatesgreen lens 73 upon which the words Clear or Go may be printed. Some oneof the three lamps will be burning at all times. In other words, whenthe car is at a standstill the red lamp burns, when the car is movingforward slowly, the yellow lamp burns, and when the car is movingforward without immediate prospects of stopping, the green lamp burns.

An advantage of my invention is in the provision of an automatic signaldevice adapted to impart knowledge to persons behind the moving streetcar or automobile having my invention embodied therein, that the vehicleis moving forward without immediate prospects of slacking its velocityor that it is slackening its velocity for the purpose of stopping, orthat it is almost stopped, or that it is at acomplete standstill. Atthis day and age of modern achievement, and when the streets of ourcities are overcrowded with rapidly moving vehicles, my automatic signalling device is adapted to greatly facilitate the movement of traflic,as well as greatly reduce the chances of collision and accidents as theresult of vehicles suddenly stopping without warning to persons in therear.

While I have chosen to illustrate the form and construction of myinvention, as herein set forth, I do not include the various forms ofmodifications in which my invention may be incorporated. Theillustrations and explanations herein are made merely for the purpose ofshowing a form of construction by which my invention may be carried intoeffect.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a switch for speed res onsive mechanism (having a housing provi edwith a shaft journaled therein, and means for rotating the shaft),comprising a contact block formed of insulating material and slidablymounted in said housing, a contact carried by said block and extendingtherethrough, a spring actuated contact member carried by one wall ofsaid housing and in permanent touching engagement with one end of saidcontact carried by the block, a plurality of spring actuated contactmembers carried by another wall of said housing, the sliding movement ofsaid block successively engaging said plurality of spring actuatedcontact members with the single contact member carried by the block.

2. In a switch for speed res onsive mecha nism (having a housingprovided with a shaft journaled therein and means for rotating theshaft), a contact block formed of insulating material and slidablymounted in said housing, a contact extending through said block andhaving an integrally formed elongated side, a spring actuated contactmember carried by one wall of said housing and in permanent touchingengagement w1th said elongated side, a plurality of spring actuatedcontact members carried by another wall of said housing wherebydifferent pairs of said sprin actuated contact members are connecte assaid block is moved within the housing.

WILLIAM E. WULFHORST.

